What should have happened in Bhalasaam
by chartreuseian
Summary: No. 2 in the 'Should Have' series. What would have happened if Nikola had asked for a good luck kiss? And, more importantly, what if Helen had said yes?


**This is number two in my 'Should Have' series which is just me, causally pointing out the many places in which the writers could have given us some Teslen lovin'... So, to that end, the fact that I killed John in the previous one has no bearing on this story... **

**I really, truly hate this story but I've worked it as much as I can and, as such, am throwing my hands up in defeat. It's not as smutty as the previous one and the next one won't be either but very soon we shall return to the land of bump and grind :P**

**Don't own it :( BUT TESLA IS IN THE NEXT EPISODE SO PRAISE THOSE WHO DO!**

**Enjoy**

**xx**

* * *

><p>"...lest their wealth of knowledge fall into the wrong hands."<p>

Helen's heart stopped.

"Miss me?"

Oh god, she thought, swallowing heavily, that grin.

Too many emotions flooded Helen's body at once and she was unable to do anything except gawk at the man she had already shed tears over. Her eyes widened as she took in his impeccable outfit. Then she saw John's body tense in anticipation for another battle and that was something that she couldn't have happen.

"John," she said warningly as she walked forwards slowly, not entirely certain if she was seeing things or not.

"Oh I know he's hard to kill but I'm sure there are ways," John said smoothly and Helen felt a flicker of annoyance. Why he couldn't get over this childish feud she'd never understand. After all, it had been a good century since there was any real competition over who could win her heart. Oh yes, she knew why they fought so bitterly and while she knew she should have been flattered, it was more frustrating than anything else. No man had a claim on her, not now, not ever and their bickering would do nothing to change that. None the less, she continued to move forward slowly, gun at the ready should Nikola's 'companions' from their previous encounter show up.

"Is that before or after you retrieve the blood because frankly, good luck with that if I'm dead. You know, you can't do it without me," Nikola quipped with a smirk and Helen wanted to roll her eyes. This was certainly no mirage. Only Nikola Tesla would act so blasé when faced with death by a fist through the gut.

And, as their conversation continued and she tried to unravel his real intentions for being there, Helen couldn't help the girlish flutter in her stomach. It wouldn't be quite like old times but, with Nikola around, she knew it was going to be interesting to say the least.

But then he started flirting with Clara and that flutter turned to a dead weight.

Perhaps torturous would be a better word than interesting. Slinging insults left and right, Nikola led them through the labyrinth with an ease that set Helen on edge.

"You've been coming here for decades haven't you? This is where you got the idea to revive vampires as a race," she realised, dismayed. Surely this was one secret he could have shared with her. The sheer magnitude of the place was astounding but not nearly as enticing as unravelling it's secrets with her closest friend.

As John began to question the vampire's motives, Helen was overcome with the strangest desire to jump to his defence. As dangerous and volatile as Nikola might be, she knew he'd never intentionally destroy human life as they knew it. Well, maybe he would but she had enough faith in him to believe that, faced with the decision between saving the abnormal community and resurrecting Sanguine Vampiris, while being a tough call, he'd ultimately choose to save the abnormals he had always helped her to protect.

She felt a swell of pride when he confirmed her suspicions but, as he turned on John, the point he made hit far too close to home. She didn't trust John as far as she could bloody well throw him but, deep within her, part of her heart wanted to and it was that part that helped her bury the wrongs he had done her. Nikola was right, she realised. Not in the idea that John would take the blood for himself but he did in fact risk Ashley's life in an attempt to prolong his own. Granted, she never would have given it to him otherwise but what kind of man would do such a thing? Her mind gave her a thousand different types of men who would but it came down to one single thing; John. That was always the one difference between John and Nikola. Nikola refused to hurt her in any lasting way. And Rome didn't count, it was just him showing off like he always did. She knew he'd never have ordered her killed.

Pushing aside her fears, doubts and painful realisations, Helen focused on the task at hand.

"Gentlemen, we are here for a reason," she said, hoping to cut off whatever retort she could sense growing inside John's mind. Looking Nikola directly in the eye, she hoped he understood what she was trying to tell him. "Nikola, lives are at stake." Her eyes widened as she silently begged him not to restart this foolish battle. Whether he understood her message or not, she had no idea, his smirk giving nothing away.

"This way," he said with a grin and, despite how ridiculously juvenile the action was, Helen had to control the urge to grin back at him.

* * *

><p>"This place goes on forever," Clara murmured.<p>

"It's a labyrinth, it's designed to keep secrets from those who would steal them," Helen replied with a knowing look at a certain someone.

"Was that aimed at me?" Nikola asked innocently and if the look hadn't been entirely adorable, she'd have been sorely tempted to slap it off his face.

"Yes," she answered, trying to sound stern but he simply smiled broadly and once again she was overcome with the urge to slap him. Didn't he realise that this was not the time for flirting or stupid games? They desperately needed that blood and if they put it off much longer, they'd be jeopardizing their chances of success.

Stifling the urge to kill/jump him, Helen focused on the task at hand, tuning Nikola out until she saw his name by hers on the map. She couldn't deny the flutter that started in her heart, regardless of how dangerous it might be. What her father had been playing at when he set this out was beyond her. And, unfortunately, it seemed she wasn't the only one to have such thoughts.

"Which leaves you and... Nikola. You're tests are marked for the same area," John said and Helen could hear the note of fear in his voice. She only prayed Nikola could keep his bloody mouth shut and not make it worse than it already was.

"I guess your father liked us best as a couple."

She could have shot him. Honestly put a bullet through his damned head. Everyone was silent, looking at Nikola, absolutely dumbfounded.

"Helen, if you can wait-," John started.

"I'll be fine," Helen insisted before she'd even had time to realise what she was agreeing to. While she was certain Nikola would never hurt her, being alone with him probably wouldn't be terribly conducive to finding her key.

"Such chivalry," Nikola drawled, making Helen shiver. Why she found this snarky little vampire so bloody irresistible was beyond her. Oh, that's a new one, she mused. Until this point, she'd never used that word in relation to Nikola. Not once. Still a little shocked at her own mind, Helen schooled her face to betray nothing.

"If any harms comes to her, accidental or otherwise-," John threatened and Helen could have rolled her eyes. Back to their childish feud, she began to bristle.

"I have no reason to do her any harm but you I am finding more reasons by the minute," Nikola said smoothly.

"Honestly," she burst out, eyeing them both off, "I am surrounded by adolescents." Nikola smirked at her again.

Irresistible? Debatable.

Incorrigible? Definitely.

* * *

><p>"Huh, your test," Helen said, looking up at the Latin name plate before trying to figure out exactly what the tunnel was going to require Nikola to do.<p>

"Yeah," was his only, rather uncharacteristic reply. Helen looked over at him, confused at the look on his face.

"You said you tried to steal the blood once before," she clarified, still trying to place that unknown emotion in Nikola's eye."That means you've already done the test." His eyes were darting around the corridor, much as hers were, giving him a rather adorable look that made Helen want to run her hands through his hair in a way he'd always found calming.

"No, I said I tried to steal it. I never succeeded in actually getting the key," he said apprehensively. And then it hit her.

"You're afraid."

Fear? Nikola Tesla was afraid? Something about it just didn't work in her mind. Of all the emotions that she'd ever encountered in her extraordinary friend, fear hadn't exactly been one that had been displayed on a regular basis.

"Your father managed to rig this tunnel here with a massive geomagnetic current, voltage derived directly from the earth," he explained and Helen was all of a sudden inordinately proud of her father. "Do you have any idea how much electricity that actually is?"

"He knew you were hard to kill," she allowed, hiding a smile at the look on Nikola's face.

"Well," he said, eyes flashing with another unknown emotion, "this just might do it."

He steeled himself and Helen could see him drawing on everything he had. His body tensed as he prepared to take a step and, completely surprising herself, she reached out and stopped him. He turned back to look at her, quirking his head in question. She smiled sheepishly in response but didn't' remove her hand from where it lay on his bicep.

"Is there something I can help you with?" he asked smoothly, lips twitching as he held back a smile.

She opened her mouth to respond but she had nothing to say. With a deep exhalation, she smiled at him grimly. What had gotten into her? They needed these keys and they needed them now, there was no time to waste with whatever sentimentality was plaguing her now.

"Helen?" he asked warily, turning to face her properly. His hands landed on her arms, squeezing gently as he pulled her closer to him.

"I..." she tried uncertainly, unable to move.

He stared into her eyes for a long moment before grinning mischievously at her.

"How about a kiss?" he asked, stepping closer. "For luck, of course."

"Nikola," she warned as her hands began to toy with his jacket.

"Oh come on Helen, I may very well die. This is the very least you could do for me."

"The least I could do would be to push you in there myself," she breathed as her hands slid up his chest to rest on his shoulders.

"But you wouldn't do that, would you Helen?" he whispered, leaning in.

"Don't count on it," she replied, winding her arms around his neck to pull him closer.

"Maybe I'll just have to pull you with me," he breathed against her cheek as his hands landed on her waist.

"That would be a bad idea," she advised before leaning in to brush her lips against his cheek. He tensed in her arms before pulling her closer and shifting his head, much as he'd done in Rome only this time, Helen didn't have to fight the urge to grab her gun and shoot him. Instead her lips were responsive, opening under his as one of her hands tangled in his hair. His arms around her waist pulled her closer, allowing him to deepen the kiss as he walked her backwards to the nearest wall. Helen moaned into his lips, arching against him as their tongues met.

He tasted ten times sweeter than the finest wine and a hundred times more sinful and Helen couldn't get enough. She kissed him hungrily, pulling him as closer, wanting more of him which, it seemed, he was all too eager to give. His hands were roaming her sides, caressing her through the thick jacket she wore until he became fed up with the barriers. Clever fingers began to push at her jacket until all that stood between his hands and her overheated skin was her flimsy top. Leaning into her, he pinned her with all his enhanced strength to the wall as his mouth began to move even more hungrily against hers. Feeling lightheaded from the lack of oxygen, Helen pushed at him until he broke the kiss, allowing her to gasp in a few breaths before leaning in to kiss him again, this time with more fire than before. Her body moulded to his, pulling him as close as she could, desperate to feel more of him.

"My, my Helen," Nikola whispered as his lips began to attack her neck. "I think I shall allow myself to be killed more often if this is the reception I'll receive upon my triumphant return."

His words sent a flutter of fear through Helen, causing her to stiffen in his embrace. Sensing the change, Nikola pulled back to look down into her eyes.

"Please don't," she whispered, tears beginning to form for a reason she couldn't quite pinpoint.

Nikola stared into her eyes for just a moment before crushing her to him.

"I'm not going anywhere Helen, I promise."

"Good," she muttered into his shoulder, hugging him as tightly as possible. They stayed that way for a minute before Nikola pulled back.

"The key," he said softly and she nodded, releasing him, trying not to think about how much it hurt to not have him in her arms anymore.

Turning from him slightly, she wiped the few tears on her cheeks with her sleeve before rubbing her nose and turning back to face him, bright smile in place.

"Ready?" she asked.

Nikola winked, darted forwards to give her one last kiss that took her breath away before straightening his jacket and striding down the corridor. Helen winced as the tunnel lit up, biting her lip as he growled and pushed his way through the massive currents flooding his body. The journey seemed to take forever and, with each passing second, Helen's unease grew. Surely her father wouldn't actually kill him... would he? The two had never really gotten on terribly well but the same could be said for Nigel and her father _and_ it was highly unlikely that he'd provide the means by which they could retrieve the blood only to kill those who actually knew how to use it. Or at least, that was what she hoped.

After what seemed like an eternity, Nikola finally made it to the other side of the tunnel, all but collapsing on the stone pillar holding his key. His hair was on end and he was smoking slightly but Helen thought he had never looked more delectable in his entire life but, despite her lustful tendencies, fear was still rippling through her body.

Smirking through what she could only imagine was terrible pain, he gingerly picked up the key and Helen was genuinely surprised that nothing happened. After the fireworks display her father had set up for him to power through, she'd almost expected some kind of lightening to strike him down as he touched the key. Although ever so slightly relieved, Helen's eyes were wide as she raised a hand and beckoned to him. Nikola offered her a sardonic grin before pushing off the pedestal and taking a confident step back down the tunnel.

At the first spark of electricity, he almost flew backwards, eyes flying up to meet hers.

"Your father really didn't like me did he?" he said breathlessly, rubbing a hand over his face.

"You're an acquired taste," she allowed with a weak smile. He chuckled at that.

"You should know," he said with a grin and then it was her turn to chuckle.

"Stop stalling and get back here," she ordered, trying to sound strong. Fear was still racing through her veins and she wanted nothing more than for Nikola to be back by her side.

"Promise to give me a kiss if I do?" he taunted, hands on hips.

"Do I have a choice?" she said with a sigh. In truth, if he did survive, she'd be inclined to give him much more than a kiss and she had a sneaking suspicion he knew it.

"Not really," he conceded with a grin before striding down the corridor once more. As had happened before, each time he staggered towards her, Helen's heart felt as if it was about to burst. Damn her father and his genius! Why he had to create a test that actually put his life in real danger was something she just couldn't understand. She watched in horror as he fought his way towards her, nails growing and eyes darkening as his teeth grew to those sharpened points she'd always found fascinating. Trying desperately to focus on anything except his obviously imminent death, Helen studied his vampiric features which, strangely enough, aroused her enough to take her mind off the pain he must have been suffering.

It wasn't until he finally stumbled out of the corridor that she managed to bring her mind back to the task at hand. As he fell against the wall with a smirk, both relief and lust flooded through Helen's body. He was smiling at her with such happiness in his eyes and, despite his laboured breathing, he seemed to be lighter and more at ease than she'd seen him in a good long while. Then his face crumpled in pain, his hand flying to his chest.

"My God, Nikola, are you alright?" she cried, dashing to his side. Her hands flew to cup his face as she searched his eyes, praying that he was alright.

"Mmmm, mouth to mouth please," he croaked at her with a wink and she knew she'd been had.

"Nikola," she admonished and, although she knew she should pull away, she didn't.

He smiled and chuckled, his breath fanning across her face.

"You felt genuine concern for me, admit it," he whispered, bring a hand up to land on her shoulder both to keep her close and to steady himself.

"Nonsense," she replied thickly, breathing in that delicious scent of his. All she'd have to do would be to lean in ever so slightly and then...

"Oh, you still like me, it's so obvious," he said with a grin, leaning in to steal a quick kiss. Well, it was meant to be a quick kiss but Helen, after tasting his lips, needed more so as he tried to move away, she followed, kissing him frantically.

"You tried to kill me," she whispered against his mouth. She traced his bottom lip with her tongue, begging for access which he, surprisingly enough, denied. With a growl, she kissed him harder, demanding he give in to her. When he remained unresponsive, she pulled back, shocked to see him breathing heavily.

"Yeah but you know, we all hurt the ones we love," he said with a grin before dropping his head to rest against her shoulder.

"I know," she whispered, holding him close for a few moments as he recovered. She was well aware he wasn't as bad off as he was pretending but, if it meant she could hold him close for just a few minutes, then she wouldn't call him on it. It felt nice to have his arms loosely around her waist, his warm breath on what little of her neck was exposed. It was comforting. Helen let her eyes drift shut as a small smile appeared on her face.

A few minutes, maybe hours later, she wasn't sure which, he pulled away slightly and she took the hint. Arms still resting on his shoulders, she stepped back to look up into his grey eyes.

"It's your turn," he reminded her, removing one of his hands from her waist to wave his key at her.

"Right," she said with a nod, trying to pull away from him but, as she dropped her hands, he grabbed one of them, holding tight. He smiled almost tentatively at her and Helen was so taken aback that she darted forwards to press a small, reassuring kiss to the side of his mouth.

With a wide grin he tugged at her hand and they headed towards her test.

* * *

><p>"Not much of a test," Helen said apprehensively looking between Nikola and the great cavern she was supposedly to venture into. With a last look back over at Nikola, she stepped through the doorway.<p>

"You're a total daddy's girl," he whined, walking after her. She spun around to let loose a nasty comment only to find the door very quickly sealing her in.

"Helen!"

She heard Nikola's panicked cry but it was too late. Running to the door, she ran her hand around the edge only to find that the great stone was most likely impenetrable. Pressing her ear to the door, she listened intently, unable to hear anything except her own accelerated heart rate. Steeling herself, Helen pushed off from the door, spinning around to face the pedestal in the middle of the room.

"Alright father."

* * *

><p>By the time the door flew up again, Helen's fear and apprehension were reaching ridiculous heights. Nikola was a vampire for heaven's sake and could very well take care of himself, she'd reminded herself but somehow, it wasn't quite enough.<p>

Schooling her face into a look of absolute determination, Helen ran from the room and towards and noticeably relieved looking Nikola. Holding up her key, he smiled slightly at her.

"Nice, but I think somebody must have screwed up," he said, holding a hand out to her. Nodding once she took his hand and they took off down the corridor, dodging the chunks of ceiling that kept falling around them. With his enhanced strength Nikola was almost dragging her along as they narrowly missed being crushed once more.

"Bloody hell!" she exclaimed, grabbing onto the wall and looking over to Nikola in concern. Fear flashed through his eyes before he darted towards her, grabbing her by the waist and hauling her towards an alcove just before the pillar to which she was clinging gave way, causing the roof to fall precisely where she'd just been standing.

"You can thank me later," Nikola whispered against her ear, making Helen realise where they were. The space they were crammed into was nothing more than a crack in the wall, meaning that their bodies were flush, his hands on her hips, hers on his shoulders once more. The entire building was still rumbling and crumbling but suddenly the reverberations were having an entirely different and unexpected effect on her. The walls against their backs were trembling, causing tiny shockwaves to move through to their almost joined bodies. Without thinking, Helen moved to kiss Nikola once more and this time he didn't pull away. Their lips met with fire and passion, tongues duelling fiercely as hands pulled at clothing.

It was desperate and messy and oh so hot, making Helen's entire body tingle with anticipation. Moulding herself to him, Helen tried to lift a leg and pull him closer but, before she realised the futility of such an action, her knee encountered the solid stone wall, causing her to pull back from Nikola, slam her head against the other wall and let out a curse.

Nikola, for his part, chuckled before stepping out of their crevice, pulling her out by the hand.

"Are you alright?" he asked, tilting her head to look into his eyes.

"Perfectly," she grumbled, rubbing her head. Nikola rolled his eyes and began to admonish her but was cut off by a particularly harsh quake that knocked them both to the floor. Nikola recovered first, scrambling to Helen as soon as he'd pushed the rubble off him.

"Helen?" he called worriedly as he began shifting the debris from around her.

"I'm fine," she croaked before coughing a few times to clear the dust from her lungs. Gingerly, Nikola helped her sit up, eyes landing on the gash on the side of her face. His fingertips traced her cheek gently and Helen smiled at the tender gesture.

"Really," she insisted, capturing his hand.

"Helen, you hit your head pretty hard. You might have a concussion," he said, brow furrowing as he brushed the hair from her eyes.

"Then let's find the others and get out of here," she said, using him to lever herself upright. "_Then _I'll let you check me out."

Nikola smirked at her wording but said nothing, simply winding an arm around her waist, helping her down the corridor even though not a single of her injuries would prevent her from walking. The entire cavern seemed to be shaking still but they soldiered on and it was only when Helen could hear John and James talking that she moved away from Nikola. Hurt flashed through his eyes but he covered it quickly.

"Afraid of what they'll all think?" he asked, sliding closer to her. "Because we both know each and every one of their suspicions will be correct."

"Nikola, please be serious. Now is not the time to talk about this and you know it. Once we've sorted out this mess, _then_ and only then can we-."

"Can I screw you into oblivion," Nikola amended with a grin. Helen rolled her eyes and sighed. A particularly violent shake sped up the progress and, Helen thought, was the second most effective way of shutting him up she'd ever come across. With one last stumble, the both rounded the corner, getting an eyeful of undressed protégé in the process. Sending Will a questioning look, she held up her key victoriously, prompting all the others to do the same. They all eyed each other grimly, knowing that, unfortunately, the hard part was still ahead.

"Well done," Helen said breathlessly, hoping that her tone had nothing to do with the heat she could feel Nikola radiating from close by. "Shall we?"

* * *

><p>It wasn't until they were back at the Sanctuary that Helen really started to feel the effects of day. Her heart was still aching for the loss of her old friend and occasional lover and that, coupled with the fact that Ashley still hadn't contacted them meant that she felt each and every one of her bumps and bruises. Her entire body was throbbing dimly, making it hard to concentrate on anything except the gnawing sense of loss.<p>

"Are you alright?"

His voice was soft and comforting but still she jumped.

"Nikola," she breathed, putting a hand to her chest to calm her racing heart. He, like her had changed out of the dusty outfit he'd been previously sporting, a white lab coat thrown over what was undoubtedly a fine ensemble but it was the look of compassion in his eye that she was focusing on. Reaching out, he gently cupped her cheek, rubbing his thumb over the now cleaned up cut.

"Are you alright?" he asked again, coming to stand closer to her. Nodding and biting her lip, Helen slid off the work stool she was sitting on, meaning to walk away but he was insistent, moving into her path before she could take more than a step. "Helen, please, you need to rest." One of his hands moved to her cheek while the other landed on her shoulder as he forced her to look up into his eyes.

"Really, Nikola, I'm fine," she said, trying to fight his embrace but, before she knew what was happening, he'd pulled her in for a hug, wrapping his wiry arms around her, holding her tight.

"I know that you're fine," he whispered into her hair, "but how _are_ you?" There was such genuine concern in his tone that, with an almighty sob, Helen relaxed into his embrace, wrapping her arms around him fiercely.

"We need to keep working," she mumbled against his collar after a few moments. With a sigh, Nikola let his arms fall away limply.

"I hate it when you're right," he muttered and she let out a watery chuckle.

"You must hate me most of the time then," she quipped, quickly turning away and wiping a stray tear from her cheek.

"Perhaps, but I do _love_ you all of the time," he countered reasonably and she spun around, flabbergasted.

"What?"

"I love you."

"What?"

"I love you."

"Wha-."

"This could go around in circles for a very long time," he warned, grabbing her shoulders. "I. Love. You. Helen, that's what I'm saying."

"What?" she whispered, eyes filling with tears.

"I love you, my dear. Why else do you think I'd come back and risk incurring old Johnny's wrath?"

"You tried to kill me," she said, brow furrowing.

"Did not!" he cried with a twinkle in his eye. "You know I'd never have told those treestumps to harm you."

"It didn't feel that way at the time," she admitted, eyeing him off but then he softened and so did she.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, hands twitching as if he wanted to reach out and hold her but knew it would be hazardous to his health. "I do love you Helen, please believe me."

Whether it was the adrenaline running through her veins or the note of desperation in his words, she wasn't sure but next thing she knew she'd walked straight into his arm, burying her face in the crook of his neck once more.

"I want to believe you," she mumbled, winding her arms around his waist. "I really do."

And then it was all too much. James was dead and the world was about to be plunged into chaos and she'd thought Nikola was dead and Ashley had been gone for too long and... and... and she started shaking. Nikola said nothing, simply holding her close as she tried to steady herself. Slowly she came back to earth but, as she tried to pull away, Nikola held tight.

"Just for now?" he whispered into her hair so quietly that she wasn't sure she'd actually heard him speak at all.

Closing her eyes, she relaxed into his embrace.

"Maybe not just for now," she whispered back.


End file.
